One of the highest professional credos that Carl Heinlein subscribes to is both patriotic and pro-business.
“America progresses through construction,” he said. “There is not a thing that your colleagues, wife, family or friends do without touching construction: the roads we are on, the buildings we are in, the communication we deal with — construction is the heartbeat of the United States.”
Heinlein, director at large for the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), heard little-to-no dispute from the delegates at the OSHA Construction Safety and Health Conference in Houston.
Carl Heinlein, director at large for the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP).
“Take pride in what we do,” Heinlein encouraged the audience. “We do great things, and we have great people. Celebrate that sometimes.”
Heinlein said he is not oblivious to the fact that sometimes accidents happen.
“We should learn from them and make them not happen again,” he said.
Discussing emerging trends and issues in construction occupational safety and health (OHS), Heinlein said worker shortage, technology in disciplines like driverless vehicles and robotics, and 3-D printing are all prominent factors.
Heinlein referred to one of his contractors, located in Arkansas, that recently introduced robotics to its facility.
“Production went higher, quality went higher and injuries went down,” he said. “But they still kept the same amount of people working there; they just shifted them. Putting in technology doesn’t necessarily mean we are going to lose jobs. Keep that in mind.”
“A lot of the things that we have learned and gathered technology-wise have come from our friends in the military and NASA, so don’t overlook those opportunities,” Heinlein noted, challenging owners and managers to consider veterans in their hiring practices.
Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) “are a huge issue for us,” Heinlein said. “They are coming, more and more. I also hear that OSHA may be utilizing them, but that’s another conversation.”
“When I can go to my local 7-Eleven and buy a drone-type vehicle for $19.99 and put a camera in there and it will go up 100 feet and videotape, it’s around us,” he said. “We have to embrace it and figure out how it can be an advantage to us.”
Heinlein noted that a number of concerns, including privacy and insurance issues, are related to drone technology.
“How do we make sure we’re not getting claims against spying on a hospital room?” Heinlein queried. “Or what if a 10-pound drone falls down on a project or into the street?”
Fatigue, drugs impact worker wellness
A shortage of OHS professionals in the workforce is another key challenge to the construction industry, Heinlein said, and that shortage results in worker fatigue.
Fatigue is killing people, he said. “It’s killing marriages, it’s killing people when they drive off the side of the road going home, and it’s creating anger and violence on the jobsites.”
Fatigue also affects workers’ production quality, Heinlein said, adding, “Connect the dots.”
Other emerging trends and issues that demand industry attention, Heinlein said, include not just testing for illicit drugs but also increasing awareness regarding addictions to prescription drugs and opioids that develop during recovery from an injury.
Heinlein encouraged owners to consider that a company that offers a wellness program as it pertains to safety and total worker health may be more attractive to potential hires.
“We have the opportunity to help people out,” Heinlein concluded. “I could talk about technology all day long, but if we are so focused on technology that we forget about the men and women, the young folks and old people, we miss the opportunity to succeed. We are in the people business. We have to remember that as we implement these new technologies.”
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